Red Sun at Night
by Ebony Pistol
Summary: Flynn knows all too well that even best friends can keep secrets from each other, but the Commandant never saw this coming. Oh Yuri... FlynnxYuri Warnings inside
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I make no money or profit from the writing of this story.

Please Read: This story takes place after the events in ToV. Please note that it has been a bit since I have played the game; so if I get something terribly wrong, please let me know. It also has **HOMOSEXUAL PAIRINGS!** Ex: Flynn/Yuri I give you fair enough warning. Lemons ect. will be posted on my author page. The first chapter is in Flynn's POV and will continue in third person next chapter. (Possible POV changes throughout the story.) I needed to get this plot bunny off my chest, so here you go!

Pairings: Main FlynnxYuri, **brief** FlynnxSodia, Duke/Yuri, OMC/Yuri, Judith/Raven, and others TBD.

Warnings: Yaoi, angst, blood, gore, non-consensual sex (Non graphic), some OOC-ness, and adult situations. No Beta.

** ~Red Sun at Night~**

Even after everything you continue to cloud my mind with secret smiles, and I thought after Tarqaron, things would get easier. I thought that if I finally gave into Sodias' advances, started an actual relationship; I would come to forget those smiles. But I'm a fool…

I thread my fingers through her soft ginger hair, kiss her dainty pink lips, and pull her smaller body tightly against mine. Bright, feminine lilac eyes close, and I slowly maneuver us to the bed. She makes moans of arousal, and I dutifully follow with my own.

Sodia is soft and warm, and my body fits well with hers, but-

I quickly divest us of all cloth and metal barriers, meld her body to my own once more, and claim her warmth.

Screams of pleasure ricochet off my bedroom walls, the bed creaks, and I can no longer hold out. Biting down hard on the smooth, unblemished skin of her shoulder, I save myself from crying out the wrong name. Sodia clings to me, the crescent imprints of nails mark my back as a scream erupts from her mouth; from pleasure or pain I couldn't care less. I press a harsh kiss to her mouth to silence her and collapse. Sweat, sticky and sickly warm covers our bodies.

My chest heaves and I tiredly lift myself up to look into half-lidded lilac eyes. Sodia gives a small, almost dangerously familiar smile. My stomach twists violently. I turn my body swiftly over the side of the bed, and throw up.

That was over two months ago. At that time, I was really ready to give up and move on, but in the end even my body couldn't deny what it truly wanted. Sodia was thoroughly embarrassed, to say the least, and no amount of apologizing made her feel better. I assigned her to a long-term mission in Aurnion, which she gladly accepted. Curiously enough, my second in command wasn't angry. Well, maybe a bit. Sadness loomed in her eyes, but I couldn't tell exactly whom it was for.

'_I know you tried,'_ her quaking voice whispered to me.

'_I did.'_ A tiny significant smirk placed itself on the corner of her mouth. We haven't spoken to each other since, except for the regular mission correspondence through paper.

Speaking of paper. A large stack of official business stared effortlessly back at me from my desk. Without the use of the blastia, reports of much needed soldier support came from all across the world. Granted, there seemed to be fewer monsters, but the cities still needed protection.

Scientists were desperately trying to figure out a way to use the power of the elemental spirits so they could be used for large-scale protection. I believe it was Rita Mordio who headed the research team, no surprise there. A grin paints itself on my face as I thought of a particular guild. Brave Vesperia. Last I heard they had gained a few extra members, but little Karol was still its ever-optimistic leader. Every once in a while I would hear reports of a beautiful Kritiyan warrior and the late Captain Schwann, traveling together, while knocking down quite a few monsters on the way. I always wondered how those two got together, but maybe it was best that I didn't know.

A sigh escaped my mouth; I need to remind myself to send a couple more troupes to Halure. Miss Estellise requested a bit of back up after the last monster attack. She was healing the injured soldiers and townspeople as fast as she could, but it was no doubt difficult.

It was reliving to hear that the Princess had found happiness in the quaint, peaceful village. Writing fantastical children's' stories while pursuing her medical studies. I often get letters from her, asking how I'm doing, how Yuri was doing…

Tension made its way slowly into my brain, and my fingers rub small circles on my temples. Yuri was the last person I wanted to think about at the moment, but he was also the only person I truly 'wanted' to see. Still living in the Lower Quarter, in the same tiny room he'd been living in for years, and so close. Damn! My fists hit the polished wood of my desk, and creaks under the pressure.

I'm such a coward I know. I even went as far as to send Leblanc, Adacor and Baccos to aid Yuri with monster attacks instead of going myself. Now there are no more excuses left to keep me from seeing our world's true hero. Yuri used to check in on me every couple of days, but now, he doesn't come at all. He knows I've been purposely ignoring him, but it's for all the wrong reasons!

I have to tell him the truth; I have to confront him at last. My mind makes itself up and I push myself hurriedly to my feet. Before I can decide against it. A kind of numbness creeps into my legs as I forcefully open my bedroom door and stomp noisily through the castle. A few guards look at me curiously, closing their mouths quickly at my uncommon glare. Don't talk to me. Don't stop me, please just stay quiet, I repeat in my mind. It truly was now or never.

There are few residents out tonight, most of them stop to wave and smile at me. In a gesture of greeting I nod my head but continue on my journey to the Lower Quarter. The decline urges me to walk faster, and I give it no resistance.

The sun has almost set. The orange-red hue of the sky embraces the Lower Quarter in a warm, almost unearthly light. There are no townsfolk in the Lower Quarter's central square, most likely retiring for the night. I observe the fountain and listen to the soft sound of water on stone, calming and nostalgic, until I spot a familiar dark individual on the other side. I almost forget to breath.

I am overjoyed to see the object of my obsessions, standing in the dimming sunlight, a beautiful, ethereal sight. He is dressed in his familiar dark attire and sporting a loose braid complete with long ear tails. Yuri rarely ever put his hair up, let alone braid it. It's rather…becoming on him though. His ebony locks seem are a couple inches longer perhaps, but it seems like he still trims his own bangs, as they are choppy and uneven. He makes my heart pound, and my face beam. I see him smile, a crooked little grin of all cockiness. It's not directed at me, but a slightly taller man standing only a few feet away.

Duke. What was he doing in Zaphias, and with Yuri of all people? His face is familiar and stoic, but his eyes shine with a strange light. I don't think I like it.

"Are you really sure you can handle drinking with me?" Yuri's voice is filled with mischief. They're going drinking together? Yuri and alcohol never mixed well.

"Do I need to remind you that I have far more years of experience on you?" A white brow rises and Duke gives Yuri a curious glance.

"That may be, but-,"

"Ahem." Two heads turn in my direction. Depthless black eyes widen in shock.

"F-Flynn!"

"Hi Yuri," My hand is raised in a familiar greeting between us. I give a rather out-of -character predatory smile to my childhood friend, and turn towards the taller man. "Duke, this is a surprise." There's a small nod from him, as he regards me coolly.

"Commandant Scifo. Being here may be inappropriate, I will leave Zaphias if you wish." I shake my head, "there is no need. Yuri informed me of what happened at Tarqaron, you are as much a hero as Yuri himself." There is no need to start any inappropriate fights, especially if it would involve Yuri, I'll have to play this right.

My best friends' brow knitted in confusion, and I can't help but do the same to him. Duke seems to accept my words and gives another stoic nod, while his red eyes bore into mine.

"If you're going out do you mind if I tag along? I haven't had a night off in months, and I could use a drink." I play myself coyly. Endless black eyes soften, followed by a genuine Yuri smile.

"Sure looks like you could. Were you recently trampled by a hoard of wild boar?" Cheeky bastard, I roll my eyes at him and walk unhurriedly to his side.

"So where are we going?" I stand unnecessarily close to Yuri and notice the red-eyed warrior give me a peculiar glance. It was only for a spilt second but I caught it, and I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to. I smile.

"Side Street Pub." He sees me give him an incredulous look.

"What?"

"It's not really the safest of places Yuri." I make a huge understatement. The Side Street Pub has a notorious record for black market deals, hiding criminals, and being one of the few areas in Zaphias soldiers had no power. You'd lose less men staying away from it completely, but Yuri hasn't been a solider for quite some time now, and I have no idea where Yuri was when he left the knights.

"Oh come on Flynn! Get your knickers out of the bunch that its in and trust me. Besides, I've never had any trouble there, and Rowland gets me free drinks."

"Rowland?" Free drinks and Yuri was never a good thing. And who in the world is this Rowland? A spark of jealous anger shoots through me.

"Yeah, he's the owner and main bartender. Saved his bro from a couple of nasty characters a while back. It's not a big deal Flynn, stop with that look already!" I didn't know I was giving him a look…

"I wouldn't recommend it either." Duke hasn't spoken for a while now; I'm surprised with the edgy timbre of his voice. Seems like he knows of Side Street Pub as well.

"Look, everything will be fine." Yuri gives a calming gesture with his hands. "I know it's a little on the seedy side, but Rowland's a good guy, and I trust him. Besides, I'm a little on the poor side right now, and free sounds pretty good to me." I was about to tell Yuri that he didn't have to worry about money until I was abruptly cut off.

"I would be more then happy to pay Lowell. I was, after all the one who initiated this outing." Duke asked? Duke? Yuri gives a small laugh and I turn my head to look at his brightly smiling face.

"Nah its okay man. It'll be fine, promise. Besides, I've got the two strongest guys in the world to watch my back for me." I snicker. "C'mon Flynn, get out of that Commandant outfit and have some fun for a bit! You'll watch out for me, right Duke?" He turns suddenly to the other man and gives a familiar kind of smile. I feel my left eye twitch. Duke seems to shake out of momentary shock.

"Well- I. I suppose, yes."

"Right. And what about you Flynn? Are you going to watch out for me too?" That sneaky little rat! He planned this! Ugh…I feel the start of a headache forming at the front of my skull. There's no way I'd leave Yuri alone with some stranger, in the middle of a nesting ground for criminals, and with free booze none-the-less! It's not that I don't trust Yuri to take care of himself…sometimes. For one thing I don't know Duke 'that' well, and regardless of what's happened in the past number of months, nether does Yuri. A long sigh escapes my mouth; the brunette knows he's won.

"That a boy Flynn! Now I think you should change out of those clothes for the night, I don't think the whole 'Commandant' look is going to work out very well." He gives me a cheeky grin, and I find myself focusing on his eyelashes. Were they ever that long?

"Yeah, you've got a good point." If I went into that part of town in my Commandant uniform we'd have a serious problem on our hands. I look pointedly at Duke. He raises an eyebrow. "Are you going to be comfortable in your gear?" I manage to ask, almost nicely. He nods.

"It's not imperial Zaphias armor, no one should recognize me." I shake my head. Duke stands out like a sore thumb, but he has a point, it's not Imperial armor. If anything people will think he a noble, or at best, a well dressed bounty hunter.

"That's a good point. Well, one down and two to go! You can borrow a pair of my clothes Flynn; I think you'll fit. And it keeps you from walking all the way up to the castle. Besides, I can't guarantee you have any thing else but your solider uniforms." A dark eye gives me a wink, and I feel my cheeks flush. Jerk.

The walk to Yuri's room takes but a minute and I feel immediately thankful for my warm, comfortable room at the castle. Repedes bed is still in the same spot it's always been, it looks warmer and more sleep-able then my best friends sorry excuse for a sleeping area. I sigh again.

"Something the matter?" He asks. I shake me head.

"No, no…just a bit of nostalgia maybe?" The last part I whisper almost too quietly to hear. Yuri doesn't notice, too busy digging through his small dresser.

"Ah ha! Here, try these," a pair of dark blue pants hits me directly in the face, at least Yuri's aim has never changed. "You've got a black undershirt under all that armor right?" I nod. "Good. Cause I have a feeling all of my shirts are going to be a bit too tight for you."

"That's fine." Now that I think about it, Yuri has always been slighter then me. Agile too. I might have always been able to best him in a fight, but in a battle of pure dexterity, he'd take the victory. And if it weren't for the spikes on my head, we'd be the same height.

My eyes begin wander around the small, drafty room once again, and I can't help but think that it must have been a hard winter for him this year. "You know Yuri…if you ever needed a place to stay…my rooms are rather warm…" Crap! Did I just say that aloud? My friends' form is still hunched over his bottom dresser drawer. He's completely still. Suddenly, I remembered Duke is still with us, silently listening. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to say after all. My eyes scrunch in momentary delight.

"I think Lowell…that Commandant Schifo was referring to the very poor winterization of your rooms." Yuri turns around at this, while clutching a pair of dark clothes to his chest, and breathing regularly. Nice save, Duke.

"Oh, well thanks Flynn. I'll…remember that." There's a lopsided smile on his face, and I can't tell if it's good or not. Dark eyes glance quickly into mine and a split second later they're gone. What in the world was that? It almost seemed like an apology, but for what? I slide my eyes over to Duke who, I notice, is staring far too casually at Yuri. I wish Duke wasn't so hard to read, but while his face seems blank and uninterested, there's a strange gleam in his red eyes.

I hear the rustling sound of clothes; Yuri seems to have found what he was looking for. A pair of indistinguishable clothing items is tucked in his arms. He looks pointedly at me.

"Why don't you try those pants on Flynn? If they don't fit I've got one other pair that might." I nod almost mechanically. Yuri's not thinking of changing in front of both of us, is he? When we were younger we'd see each other naked plenty of times, but now, it seems strange…and maybe a bit exciting. Plus, I don't want Duke watching. A feeling of jealousy cramps my stomach.

"Flynn? Are you just going to stand there and look at the wall, or are you going to change so we can leave?" A pale, slender hand waves itself in front of my face.

"Y-yeah…sorry." His forehead crinkles and he looks like he's about to laugh, but instead gives a small snort and steps away. I look around, Duke is nowhere in sight.

"Duke stepped out of the room for modesty purposes, I guess. It's not like he hasn't seen me naked before."

"What!" My throat is so I tight I forget to breath. My friends' back is to me, and he prepares to take off his shirt.

"Well with all the injuries I sustained from falling off Zaude, he'd have to." I must have the most incredulous look on my face because I almost don't notice the smooth, fair skin of Yuri's back…almost.

"Duke was the one who saved me, didn't you know that?"

No.

"No." He turns around to look at me.

"Oh." A small tilt of his head, "well now you do." That's it? He tells me this like he's telling me about the piece of toast he ate for breakfast. I sigh…again. Maybe I've been looking at Duke falsely then…or maybe not? It just seemed strange that the same man, who tried to destroy the world, had befriended its hero. How long had they been on friendly terms? Why didn't anyone tell me that it was Duke who saved Yuri from Zaude? I suppose the only way I'm going to get some answers is to ask, and tonight looks as good as any.

Skillfully, I divest myself of my armor and carefully set it on Yuri's bed. The borrowed pants are a bit tight, as I expected, but comfortable enough. There isn't a time before joining the knights that I can remember, when I dressed so casually. Many nights, on and off the field, I've fallen asleep in my armor. It's not a bad thing, just unfamiliar. A whistle turns my head to my right, where my best friend has the most thoughtful expression upon his attractive face.

"Wow Flynn, didn't know you could look so…. normal."

"Gee thanks," he laughs, and I take the time to roam my eyes over his form. A simple black vest over a long sleeved black shirt covers his torso. It's simple, clean, and not unlike his normal outfit, and it suits him rather well.

"Do you think you could give me a hand?" He's holding his sash out towards me.

"Oh, sure." I grab the item and proceed behind Yuri. "How in the world did you get this tied everyday if you couldn't do it yourself?" He shrugs nonchalantly.

"The old woman downstairs didn't seem to mind, and Estelle and Judy seemed too happy to do it," he raises his hand to his forehead. "What is with woman and dressing people up? I practically had to hide from those two whenever they passed by a clothing merchant." I feel Yuri's frustration. There were many times when I had to politely decline Lady Estellise's attempts to dress me as well. I give a small 'hmm' of agreement and cautiously position the sash around Yuri's waist. Resisting the temptation to touch more then I should, I center the sash with equal lengths in each hand. "How's that? Is it centered?" Yuri looks down.

"Yep, perfect." I tighten the simple knot I make, and notice how slim my friends' waist seems. Has he lost weight recently? Making a couple of extra loops I finish tying the sash and step away. "All done Yuri."

"Thanks man! If you ever need something tied around your waist let me know." I roll my eyes at him and attempt to hide my blush as he stretches and adjusts to the newly tied sash.

There's a slight knock on the door and Duke steps lightly inside. "If you're both ready-,"

"Yeah, we can go. Sorry to make you wait." The white haired man nods his head in acceptance and steps aside to let Yuri and I pass through the door.

"Oh, wait a sec!" The dark form rushes past me and back into the room. A moment later he returns with two swords, one in each hand. It takes me a second to realize he's handing me my own sword, the one I foolishly left on his bed.

"Might not be a bad idea to have on hand." No, it's not. I take the offered sword and sheath and attach it to my waist, the weight a familiar comfortable feeling. Yuri is going to be the death of me if I forget important things like this when I'm around him.

"I've never seen that sword before." I inquire.

"Oh this?" He holds the sword up for me to inspect. It's a rather beautiful sword, and fits Yuri quite well. "His name is Second Star," he smiles brightly at me. Second Star? What a peculiar name for a sword, but Yuri seems rather fond of it, and that's all that matters. There's a moment when we look directly at each other, and I notice how the setting sun gleams its last rays of light in Yuri's eyes. They make his once, obsidian eyes glow dark lavender. Funny, I never noticed it before…

"Ahem," a deep voice reverberates through my head and Yuri and I turn to look at Duke, who's giving both of us questioning glances. I wanted to yell at the man for breaking up the moment between my friend and I, but I need to keep reminding myself that Duke saved my best friend life, and Yuri thought well enough of him, so I should at least tolerate the man, for now.

"Right, let's go. Yuri, are you sure you want to go to Side Street Pub? There's a couple of places around the Civilian Quar-," he cuts me off, irritation in his voice.

"Damn it Flynn! You know I don't do well in those higher class 'establishments,' remember the last time we went to Red Room?" How could I forget? The Red Room was a bar that most of the Knights frequented. Yuri and I were dragged out there by some of the other knights in the service. Needless to say, one of the knights 'commented' on the citizens of the lower quarter, and Yuri ended up giving a couple of broken bones that night. At the very least, Yuri was still sober when it happened. "Yeah, I remember."

"Look, everything will be fine. Rowland's a great guy, and one hell of a fighter, you'll be fine." It's not me I'm worried about. "Yeah, okay. I trust you Yuri."

Regardless of his past decisions, I trust Yuri. And even though I won't admit it aloud, Duke is a formidable warrior himself. But why do I feel like something bad is going to happen?

_'Because Yuri is a terrible drinker and only you remember what he's like when he has had too much.'_

"Alright, lets go."

I shake my head and flank Yuri on the left side. He walks with confidence and a silly grin on his face, but I still can't shake the uncomfortable feeling I have. I see Duke mirror myself and walk closely beside Yuri's right side, his hand comfortable, but ready on Dein Nomos's hilt. He seems to feel the same way I do, and I wonder what he's thinking. Casting all prejudice thoughts on the white haired man aside, I vow to get answers from him tonight.

"So Flynn…are you sure you can take a night off? Don't you have all your knightly duties to attend to?" I recognize the sharp edge to his tone on 'knightly duties.'

"Just paper work, there hasn't been a problem with monsters for quite a while. The knights are more then enough to handle them for a night." The reassuring hand I place on his shoulder gives him a small start and he turns to look at me. "A Commandant should get a day or two off to visit his best friend once in a while don't you think?"

"Yeah," his voice is near whispering. "Yeah, you should."

His voice has a hurt tone, and I can't help but mentally kick myself. I release my hand from his shoulder and immediately miss the contact. It's going to be a long night…

** XXX**

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	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Tales of Vesperia is owned by its respective owners. I make no money or profit from the writing of this story.

**A big thanks goes out to everyone who has reviewed, fav+, or/and added my story to their alerts. YOU GUYS ROCK! Sorry for the wait, it'll be worth it in the end I promise! :)**

Warnings: See chapter One.

Beta: **NONE**

**Red Sun at Night**

A soft refusal is not always taken, but a rude one is immediately believed.

~Alexander Chase

Flynn thought that he must be crazy walking right into the heart of the Crimson Quarter, a place where anyone with good intentions would never tread. The streets themselves were relatively free of garbage and debris, but he knew the company the streets of the Crimson Quarter kept, were far from squeaky clean.

Flynn looked at Yuri out of the corner of his eye; his ebony haired friend seemed a bit odd. The closer they had gotten to the Crimson Quarter, the more on edge Yuri seemed to be. Flynn and Duke had shared a brief look, bringing to light the concern they both shared. He wanted to touch the pale mans slender, trembling wrist, to give him any comfort he could. He wanted to know why Yuri seemed so spooked. There was slight perspiration on his forehead, he visibly trembled, and too dark eyes never stopped on a single point for more then a brief moment.

"Yuri." Flynn's voice was only a soothing whisper, but it snapped Yuri's attention up like a solid scream. The man in middle almost tripped over his own feet, Duke instinctively latched onto Yuri's elbow.

"Calm down, Lowell." Yuri took a second to find his balance and took a couple of deep oxygen-filled breaths. The Commandant grudgingly observed the white haired mans hand, which lingered longer then necessary.

"Thanks man." Duke gave a slight nod and released Yuri's elbow.

"Yuri," Flynn tried again, "are you alright?" Slender black eyebrows rose over an equally dark pair of eyes.

"What in the world are you talking about…I'm just fine." It was spoken too relaxed, and too carelessly. He didn't like the way his best friend was dodging something so obviously serious, so he mustered up the best glare he could, and forced it upon Yuri. There was a slight falter in his step from the disconcerted look he received.

"Look, Flynn. It's not the best part of town I'll admit; I'm just being a bit overcautious. I've seen some terrible things go down over here, okay?" The Commandant knew that his friend was too much of a vigilante for his own good, but there was no reason he should 'ever' be in this part of town.

"Lowell. I have no doubts that you are a cautious man when need be, but the suggestion to come to this place was your own. If you cannot handle yourself, perhaps we should move elsewhere? Or perhaps you think that Scifo and I cannot handle ourselves?" Duke was smart enough to lower his last sentence to a whisper. If anyone overheard that the Commandant was in the Crimson Quarter, they'd be in some serious trouble. There was a moment's pause from Yuri as he stopped his feet. Flynn thought he looked rather distressed, gazing down at the grey, cracked cobblestone beneath him as though it were the most significant thing in the world. Yuri took one big deep breath and looked up at his companions, a soft, apologetic smile on his face.

"Yeah…you're right. I've only ever come here alone. It's a bit intimidating to be carrying extra baggage." Flynn was about to put in his two cents when Duke cut off his train of thought.

"Then it is likewise." Not unlike Yuri, Duke could also been considered somewhat of a lone wolf, and Flynn could see the relief and acceptance wash over Yuri's face like a flood. His best friend and the war hero were a lot alike, but he couldn't keep the sinking feeling in his gut when the two shared a look of understanding.

Flynn wished he knew Yuri better sometimes, and as his best friend he should. He might not have been a lone wolf like his friend, but he could understand loneliness. Constantly surrounded by people, the youngest Commandant in history might have been adored, loved, and cherished, but he was still…alone. A part of Flynn wanted to blame Yuri for that, wanted to blame his friend for leaving the Knights. For not sticking with him so they could build a better empire together. He hadn't wanted Yuri to be a murderer. A long sigh escaped from his mouth. 'How many times am I going to do that today?' He wondered.

When all seemed fine between the three, they continued the trek to the elusive Side Street Pub. Yuri was one again flanked by the two other Soldiers. 'At the very least he seems much calmer. But maybe too calm?' Flynn noted, but shrugged off the idea as a bit of paranoia.

The suns last brilliant rays of light were dying slowly, and dimly lit street lamps brought an eerie glow to the now empty streets. It seemed that even the citizens of Crimson Quarter preferred to do their business indoors, away from prying eyes. The emptiness made Flynn extremely concerned. "Is it always this…dead?" He asked.

"Sometimes." Yuri shrugged his shoulders. "Were you expecting something a bit more?"

"I was actually. I expected it to be a bit more…lively?" Flynn gestured at the impossible quiet and empty streets.

"That's more of a Dahngrest kind of thing…well, here we are!" Yuri said, as he pointed to a large cobblestone building.

True to its name, the Side Street Pub was located on a small side street, not thirty paces from the main street that lead into the Crimson Quarter. There was a single dim light above a large wooden door, which looked as though it had been repaired more then once. The building itself was three stories high, but held no windows on the first floor; instead there was hard stone and concrete that covered them up completely. The only indications that it was the Side Street Pub were the poorly painted letters on the top of the door. They spelled out S.S.P in a near illegitimate scrawl. Flynn looked at the building as if it were going to swallow him whole.

"Geeez Flynn, don't look so wary. It's much better on the inside, I promise." He chuckled good-naturedly. Duke gave the building a skeptical glance.

"I take it you've never been here either." Flynn surmised.

"I have…heard stories. But I am not personally familiar with this part of Zaphias." A pale hand waved away the worry that was so thick in the air.

"It doesn't look like much now, but the inside is, how do you say…charming?" A quirk of one ebony eyebrow had Flynn rolling his eyes at his best friend. "Only you Yuri, would think that a bar famous for its black market dealings would be, how do you say…charming?" Flynn's sarcastic remark had the desired effect on Yuri, who gave a wide grin and clapped a hand onto the Commandants shoulder.

"That a boy Finny! Now all you have to do is keep that wonderful upbeat personality for the rest of the night, and I'm sure you'll find someone to take you home." An almost ghostly paleness crept over Flynn's face. Did Yuri want him to find someone tonight? Was there no chance that Yuri could ever reciprocate his feelings? Thoughts of a horrible rejection slithered into his mind. A pale, sleek and beautiful Yuri glaring maliciously at him as he poured his heart out, or worse…Yuri laughing at him like it was all a big joke, then going on with their lives as usual, as if nothing ever happened. Flynn didn't think he could ever be so vulnerable, but Yuri could do that to him. He could tear him apart with a single word…a single look. Flynn looked up into Yuri's face to see a hint of lingering concern.

"You feeling alright? You looked a bit pale there for a sec, Finn." Flynn swallowed the lump in his throat, and regretfully stepped away from the warmth of Yuri's hand.

"You haven't called me that in years…" Flynn whispered.

"And here I thought you had forgotten," whispered Yuri. The commandant felt a remorseful twang in his gut, and wanted to apologize to his best friend. 'But sometimes…you just don't have the right words.'

"So are we going to head in? Or are you two going to stand there all night?" Duke looked at the pair with amusement highlighted in his bright crimson eyes. If it weren't for those eyes, Duke would have been nearly impossible to read.

"Ah-sorry about that," said Yuri, scratching the back of his head as if he were ashamed of something. "Actually…I need to talk to Rowland before you guys come in, he just needs to make sure that you won't cause any trouble." Flynn wanted to smack his friend upside the head. 'He owns a bar famous for black market dealings, what kind of problems could he be expecting?'

"You could've told us that before!" Duke gave an approving grunt, not happy with the apparent situation either.

"Look, it will only be for a bit. Besides, you're big boys right? You can handle yourselves for a few minutes, it'll cause less problems this way…trust me." The taller warrior casually placed himself against the wall in a comfortable, yet defensive position. "Five minutes Lowell." Flynn gave his approval with closed eyes and a slight nod.

"Alright then, see you in five!" With that, Yuri vanished through the old wooden door. A small fluster of dust could be seen in the dim light. 'Yuri sure knows how to pick em'…' thought Flynn, as he followed Dukes lead and perched himself against the building, a hand rested comfortably on the hilt of his blade.

A small rustle of fabric and Flynn could feel unnatural red eyes bore into him. When Duke spoke his voice was cryptic. "We need to talk." Flynn unconsciously shivered with the change in Dukes character, and feared the words that would come from the older man. It was doubtful that the topic would be anything but his longhaired friend; Flynn dreaded the worst.

"Read this," a long slender arm stretched itself out from Duke. In his hand was a folded piece of parchment, worn and crumpled. Flynn took a moment to study it curiously before plucking it from the other mans fingers. With trepidation he unfolded the parchment until it was fully opened. The first thing he noticed was the tape that held each side of the parchment together.

"I did that. When I found it, it was already torn in half and crumpled up," Flynn made to ask why, but was interrupted- "read it first." The stoic man said, leaving no room for argument.

Flynn turned back to the parchment and read from the top. The scrawl wasn't anything like his expert script. Instead they were sharp characters, jagged, and yet…beautifully rendered.

_Yuri~ _

_Forgive me for being away for so long. If I could, I would've taken you with me…but I hear that you have been on your own little adventure. Expect me soon._

_~D. E _

Flynn read the letter three times, before he turned to look at the other man, dismay in his eyes and gripping the parchment harshly.

"What is this?"

Duke leaned toward him slightly, "do you not recognize the hand writing?" Of course Flynn knew, all higher-class knights were taught to pick out certain 'peoples' handwriting, in the situation where a letter was intercepted. He just didn't want to believe it.

"Dascuss Everett. I'm almost one hundred percent positive." Flynn froze, staring through the words on the parchment, and knowing the truth. "Are…are you sure?" He shivered as a cool breeze brushed his now clammy skin.

"There is only one man with handwriting like that, and those initials prove it."

"But how would you know!" He needed more proof; he needed to disprove the nightmare.

"Finn!" Duke's voice rose slightly as he stood before the blond commandant. Flynn hardly noticed the use of his alias, too focused on keeping his legs upright.

"Where did you find this?" Flynns voice was raspy, and he struggled to keep it soft.

"A small boy brought Yuri this message when he was recuperating from his fall. I am not one to intrude in anyone's privacy, but I had never seen Yuri Lowell so angry before. I stole it from his waste basket before I left." There was a tired look in those crimson eyes, and the Commandant was at a loss for words.

"I know as much as you do, and unfortunately my search for Dascuss in the last two months…have turned up nothing. He's an impossible man too find, when he does not want to be found." Flynn knew that all too well, the man had a bounty on his head higher then any criminal on the warrant list. "And Yuri-?"

"I have not asked Lowell directly about any of it. A little over a month ago we met up together by coincidence in Halure, he was visiting Princess Hussien I believe. He was curious about my travels so we discussed them over a few drinks at the Inn. Finn…the reason I came to Zaphias was indeed to drink with Yuri Lowell, because when drunk, Yuri Lowell has a loose tongue." In his panicked state, Flynn mistook Dukes words, and made to shove the older man…until it clicked, "you plan on getting Yuri drunk, so he will talk?" Duke nodded.

"I realize it's a rather uncouth way of getting information, but it is necessary. Dascuss is not a man to take lightly in any situation. I fear for Yuri," the mask on the stoic warrior's face shattered for only a few seconds, leaving the blond Commandant to stare in wonder at the pure anxiety that appeared in Dukes features. The words left Flynn's mouth before he could think about them, "…do you love Yuri, Duke?"

His voice was almost too quiet to hear, but he knew the other man heard it perfectly. Duke made to open his mouth but was cut off by the sound of rusty hinges. As quick as lightning, Flynn had the accursed letter tucked away in his pocket. Yuri's head poked out from the door leading into the pub and gave Flynn and Duke a curious expression. Flynn had forgotten that he and the crimson-eyed warrior were standing face to face, and perhaps a little too close to be considered typical. "Uh…did I interrupt something?"

"Finn and I were discussing his curious battle techniques, and I did not care to let the entire neighborhood know." Flynn wondered how many times Duke was going to save his ass that night.

"Finny's techniques? Everyone knows that my Savage Wolf Fury is superior to his Radiant Dragon Fang! If you want to talk about good artes, you should have come to me." Flynn rolled his eyes at his friends smirking face.

"Whatever Yuri, are you going to let us in or not?" The door opened wider and Yuri waved a hand at the other two men to let them know they could follow him inside. With great relief they walked into the pub. Yuri took a moment to secure the heavy dead bolt lock on the door before they made their way to the bar.

Flynn was surprised to see that the inside of the pub was surprisingly…charming, as Yuri put it. It certainly wasn't posh or upscale, but it was clean and it had warm lighting throughout the entire room. The bar was located directly in front of the entrance. Three large, round tables stood between the door and the bar, and on either side a couple of worn booths sat. It was then that Flynn noticed that the bar was completely vacant, save for the gruff looking older man behind the bar. He gave a hearty wave to the three boys and instantly Flynn knew he would like this man. Rowland was a sturdy looking man, with weather worn skin, muddy brown eyes, and pepper streaked hair. He looked like the grandfatherly type; fun, casual, but serious when he needed to be.

"Ahoy there lads! It's about time I meet some of Yu's friends." Rowland's deep voice resounded throughout the pub. Yuri grabbed a seat at the bar, resting his elbows on the old wooden bar counter and looking quite comfortable. Flynn and Duke followed suit and sat on either side of their ebony friend.

"Rowland, this is my best friend Flynn." Yuri turned to Flynn as he introduced him, and Flynn took the large tanned hand in his for a strong and sturdy handshake. A smile was shared between the two.

"…And this here is my friend, Duke." The white haired man offered his hand as well. When the introductions were finished, Rowland placed both of his hands on his hips and roared out a hearty laugh. "It must be my lucky day! Not only do I get to meet the illustrious Commandant Flynn Schifo, but the long lost hero of the Great War, Duke Panterei as well! Yu…you have the strangest friends." Yuri only smiled in response.

"And don't worry boys, I wont let anyone know who ye is. I may run a rather…questionable bar if I do say so myself, but yer business is yer own." the large man said with a wink.

"Ah…well we appreciate it Mr. Rowland."

"Psh! Don't call me tha' makes me sound old. Call me Row, or at the very least drop the Mr." Flynn nodded, "alright, thanks Rowland." The bartender gave another thunderous laugh.

"Now gents what'll it be? I've got the finest ales in Zaphias, and the strongest Shine this side of Terca Lumireis. And because yer Yu's friends, I'll let ye drink fer free." Flynn made to object when Yuri's hand clamped solidly on his shoulder. "I wouldn't argue with the man Flynn, you wont win…trust me."

"Aint tha the truth! Yer usual shine Yu?"

When all three had their drinks, (and Flynn was quite surprised to find out that his ale was indeed the best he'd had in Zaphias) they chatted aimlessly about things that were commonplace to the three men. Fighting, weapons, techniques. Who would be the next coliseum champion, Yuri assured the three that it would be him. Until Flynn saw Duke give him a pointed look, and he remembered the reason they were there in the first place. A cold feeling of dread cramped up Flynn's stomach, how could he forget? Dascuss Everett. The name made his blood freeze and boil at the same time, the man was appropriately called the Executioner in the Underworld. Even the former Yeager of the Leviathans Claw had nothing on Dascuss. He dealt weapons, drugs, death, and even human slaves. He was impossible to find, and had never been bested in a fight. Why Yuri would be associated with someone who was the very epitome of that which he hated? Another thing that bothered the blond Commandant was the personality of the letter. It was casual and familiar, like they had corresponded on a regular basis. The only reprieve Flynn had, was that Yuri had torn and crumpled the note in anger. But was it really a good thing?

His turned to look at best friend was now into his fourth mug, and was begging to develop a crimson blush across his cheeks. The ever-stoic warrior casually drunk his own ale, while listening in amusement to the stories Yuri and Rowland were sharing. Taking a big swig of his drink, Flynn listened in on the conversation.

"…And outta nowhere this lightning fast shadow jumped clear over me and before I knew what happened, the thugs were out cold! My bro was jes' standin there with a stupid look on his face, and the ropes untied. I'll never live that down. A man like me outmatched by a one hundred and twenty pound pretty boy!"

"If it's any consolation Row, they were the easiest bandits I've ever fought." Yuri nearly fell off his bar stool when Rowlands large meaty hand made to smack the boy upside the head.

"Smart arse!" A chuckle came from the blond's mouth and the three men turned to look at him.

"It's about time you joined the party Finny! Your lucky Duke's here or I would've knocked your ass right off the bar stool!" He snorted. "Look Yuri, you don't have to get upset just because you've never beaten 'me' in a fight." Yuri had the most adorably affronted look on his face, and for a moment Flynn though he was going to pout. In a flash there was the sound of creaking wood and Yuri was off his stool, knocking over his mug along the way.

"All right Finny, you and me right here, right now. Mano a mano!" Flynn wanted to laugh at the sight. His best friend, obviously a little more than tipsy, putting up his dukes and dancing around like a loon.

"Im not going to fight you right now Yuri," Flynn stated while he shook his head in amusement. Before he could register it, a concrete fist smashed into the side of his face. For a moment the pain stupefied him, and the next he too was off his stool. Failing a glare at Yuri's not so serious expression.

"Come on Finny, too chicken to fight me with your bare hands?" Yuri mocked. The bartender gave another roar of laughter as he and Duke began to place bets.

"Hey! You both can't bet against me!" Screamed the Commandant.

"Hey, I want a cut of that," Yuri chimed in before the irate blond Commandant knocked him to the wood floor. With the shock of the tackle and the wind knocked out of his lungs, Flynn took the chance to pin his friend firmly to the ground.

"C-cheap s-shot," he wheezed. Flynn raised his eyebrows, "oh really? Then what was that earlier Yuri?" His opponent had his eyes closed.

"Payback." Confused, the blond man leant closer to his pinned best friend. "For what, Yuri?" Flynn looked closely at his friends face, noticing the faint trembling from his lips, and the tightness of his closed eyelids.

"Yuri…?"

"Nothing…it's nothing." He almost missed the soft words from his friends' mouth.

"Yuri…"

Even in all his confusion, Flynn couldn't help but notice the firm body beneath him. He stared deeply into Yuri's face, imagining himself kissing those soft pink lips…touching that smooth skin. "Uh Flynn?" Listening to his voice in scream out in wanton pleasure.

"…Flynn?"

"Hmm…"

"Flynn!" Suddenly Flynn's mind snapped back into reality, and out of his less-than-pure daydream. He looked down at Yuri, who had a confused look spread across his face. "You okay?" He asked. No, Flynn Schifo was not okay. He was straddling the man he secretly loved, in a pub in the most notorious part of Zaphias, while two men watched the entire thing. 'Got to pull myself together!' Letting out a deep breath Flynn smiled down at Yuri.

"Yeah. Here, let me help you up," adjusting himself carefully, Flynn stood up off of Yuri and stepped to the side. An arm held out to offer assistance to the dark clad man. Yuri took the offered hand and was swiftly helped to his feet.

"So…does tha mean we lost?" Flynn and Yuri turned to look at the two observers. Rowland looked more amused than anything, but Duke's peculiar expression caused him to glance at the white haired man more then once.

"Pay up you two." Flynn collected his ten gald and sat back down on his stool. Rowland grumbled something about 'unfair terms' and set off to rummage through a small wooden cabinet. "Ah ha!" The bartender exclaimed, while holding up a bottle without a label on it. He then plunked a shot glass in front of Yuri.

"What's this?" Rowland ignored Yuri's comment, and proceeded to fill the glass with the amber liquor.

"Is this your personal rum Row? You never share your rum!"

"Aye, I'm feelin generous tonight. Even though I lost five glad…" Rowland poured three more, one for each of the men and raised it high in toast. Flynn, Yuri, and Duke raised their shots with their generous bartender. "To good times!" Rowland sang and downed his booze, and the other three in agreement, did the same.

The night so far passed smoothly in Flynn's opinion, but the brief scuffle between him and his secret love interest created a rift between the two. Yuri didn't outright ignore him, but he might as well have. The dark haired man seemed to take extra precaution in not touching his best friend, and not looking directly into his eyes.

A warm buzz settled nicely throughout his body, but he took care to not take the shots that were poured for him by Rowland when Flynn noticed the change in Yuri's demeanor. One moment he would be happy, and conversing with Duke and Rowland, the next he would be eerily silent and withdrawn. Flynn was thankful for the private use of the bar. With the way Yuri continued to drink…he knew there was going to be a problem. Rowland, at the very least was a happy lush, and with the way he was putting back his rum it must have been awhile since his last drink.

"Yea, Yuus an me hasn't drunk tooogether fer quit some time –hic- right Yuus?" Rowland chortled drunkenly, uncaring of Yuri's rapidly changing demeanor. When Yuri went to relieve himself in the bathroom, the ever-quiet Duke looked over at Flynn from his seat and gazed imploringly at him. 'Duke must have noticed it to.'

"What?" Asked Flynn. The other man raised a solid white eyebrow before turning back to his drink. With a frustrated growl, the Commandant scooted himself to the next chair, and directly to Duke's left. They turned to face each other and Flynn noted how Duke's crimson eyes shined with clarity.

"You're not drunk yet…are you?" A twitch of pale lips, and both burst out in laughter. Okay, so maybe Duke wasn't as sober as Flynn thought. The warrior had an excellent grip on his façade though. The laughter died down to a small chuckle between the two, and Flynn couldn't help but think that Duke had a rather pleasant laugh.

"Are ye alright?" Big brown eyes laden with drink, looked over at the two men.

"Yeah, and you?" Flynn asked. He could tell the man was ready to pass out by the way he tilted, almost about to fall over. The bartender's stash of special rum had disappeared quickly between the three, with Rowland and Yuri drinking the most of it. The large man made to nod his head, but the action seemed to be too much for him, and the floor came swiftly to meet him. The two younger men watching the scene burst out in laughter for the second time that night.

"You know…you never did answer my question from before." When the laughter completely died down, Duke took a long lingering glance at him.

"I suppose I didn't." An elegant, yet calloused hand picked up the mug of ale, and brought it to pale lips. Flynn watched in slight worry as once mirthful eyes turned back into ice-cold stoicism. A long sigh came out of his mouth and he turned back to his own drink. It was annoying how one second, Duke would be laughing with him, and the next as solid as a stone gargoyle. He could tell that the man was buzzed, but was that his excuse for the strange show of emotions, or was it something else? A loud clap of stone on wood abruptly broke Flynn from his musings. Duke's mug of ale was apparently empty.

"I think it's about time we approach Yuri, Commandant Scifo." Flynn's blue eyes widened, he had almost forgotten about that. The reason Duke had taken Yuri out in the first place, was to get him drunk enough to talk. But where was Yuri? Hadn't he come back from the bathroom yet? His heart began to beat heavily in his chest, and worry struck his gut.

"I'm going to go make sure he's okay." Flynn slid off his bar stool and was headed for the bathrooms before he came to a realization. "Uh…which way-," cut off by a finger pointing to the back of the bar, Flynn headed in the direction Duke sent him. There was a hallway located in the back corner of the bar that held only a few doors, two on the right, and one at the very end. The first one on the right had a small sign above it that read, B.R.

'This must be the one,' he thought. So casually he knocked on the door and listened for Yuri's voice. When nothing came, Flynn tried saying his best friends name, "Yuri…?" Nothing. His hand twisted the knob and found it locked. With a frown he tried again, a bit louder.

"Yuri?" His knocks had become louder and more frequent.

"Yuri! Yuri!" He called out desperate to get his friends attention and open the door. The fist knocking heavily on the door halted when the wooden door opened with an angry flourish. Yuri stood on the other side, eyes bloodshot, skin red, and an angry scowl on his attractive face.

"Cant I have five minutes without someone bothering me!" Instinctively, Flynn stepped back from his very obvious drunk friend. The fear of his friend doing something stupid and reckless were only a couple of the reasons Flynn stopped taking him out to drink, and it had been so long that Flynn wasn't sure he could keep his cool. Hands rose in an attempt to calm down his intoxicated friend, "sorry Yuri…I just came to tell you that Rowland passed out." His friend looked at him as if to say, 'are you stupid?'

"Whatever, he does it all the time, just leave him. Now move," Yuri's words were unnaturally clear and lucid, and his tone; scarily apathetic, it scared Flynn. He was shoved roughly out of the way by a black clad arm. Caught off guard he tripped over his feet and fell ungracefully onto his rear end. He watched Yuri's back for a split second before extracting himself off the floor and following him into the bar.

"Yuri wait! Where are you going?"

"I'm leaving, what does it look like!"

The commotion grabbed Duke's attention. The tall warrior placed himself between the door and Yuri. A silky, and slightly disheveled black braid whipped around Yuri's head, and he glared hatred into blue eyes. Determined not to lose, Flynn glared back. The Commandant was fueled by an anger he couldn't place. Maybe it was the booze in him? Or maybe it was the frustration of dealing with Yuri inebriated. Either way, he was going to get Yuri to talk.

"What the hell is your problem, Yuri?" It took Flynn only a few strides to place himself directly in front of his livid friend.

"My problem? My problem!" A pale hand waved around in anger and none too gently made its home in the middle of Flynns chest. "You are my problem Flynn! Pretending to give a damn about me…about the Lower Quarter. It must have been nice to have someone take care of all your problems, so you could casually gain rank in the Knights." Flynn shook his head, what was Yuri talking about?

"What does this have to do with the Lower Quarter?" The old wooden floor of the pub groaned under pressure when Yuri took a step backward, away from Flynn. He raised his hands to his face in an attempt to rub away frustration. In a moment to try and calm down his obviously upset friend, Flynn made to place his hand on a shoulder, but was violently smacked away.

"Tell me Flynn…how many times did you come to Lower Quarter when I quit the Knights?" More confused then angry, Flynn stumbled over his words.

"I-I don't know Yuri, why-?"

"**How many times, Flynn**!"

"I don't-,"

"**How many**!" The scream reverberated throughout the entire pub, and Flynn, far too shocked to do or say anything, watched as his friends' fist came flying directly towards his face. If it hadn't been for Duke, the punch would have surely broken his jaw. The older man grabbed the fist in one hand and tightly locked his other arm around the struggling ebony haired mans waist, trapping him tightly against his chest. Yuri continued to struggle and let out curses, but he easily tired in his enraged drunken state, and soon he relaxed in Dukes tight grip.

"You should answer the question Flynn. How many times do you visit the Lower Quarter after Yuri quit the Knights?" The deep voice of Duke caused him to look up into crimson eyes. Flynn sighed he had no other choice, "n-none…I was too busy Yuri, you have to understand!" He felt his heart start pumping loudly in his chest. Angry with Yuri for not understanding the situation, angry that he never brought this up to him before, and besides, where was Yuri when he needed his support?

" I was trying to bring justice to the world the only way I knew how Yuri! I had to train and study constantly, to show my superiors that I was the only one for the job. I had to gain the favor of all the knights…of all the townsfolk! I was never, not working Yuri, but you wouldn't understand that would you? Instead, you chose to cause problems for the Knights. How many times had you been put in prison for assaulting them? Do you know how much ass I had to kiss to keep you from rotting away in a cell for the rest of your life! **Do you**!" He was visibly red, panting and flailing his arms around in an attempt to show his frustration. Duke remained ever stoic; and held tightly onto Yuri who would tremble every so often, until falling completely motionless. It was few terse moments of silence before anyone spoke, and it was Yuri.

"Five years Flynn…five years where the lower quarter had only me to guard it. Didn't we promise that we would protect it, together? Or was that all a lie?" Obsidian bangs covered dark eyes completely, but Flynn could still see the sneer that covered the lower half of his friends face.

"What did you want me to do Yuri? Stay with you in the Lower Quarter and fight off every last bandit, thug, and murder that walked it streets? Why cant you see in that jaded head of yours that, that was not the answer! When I had the power to I was going to send more Knights-,"

"Knights! That's all you can ever say! When did the Knights ever help the Lower Quarter? When did they ever help me! Never, that's when! You and your Knights were a bunch of useless, no good, rotten, corrupted-," SMACK. The force of Flynn's backhand sent Yuri's face into his captors' collarbone. Duke let out a soft grunt at the force, but held Yuri just as tightly.

"Commandant, that was uncalled for." The reprimanding tone did nothing to faze the anger in Flynn. "Are you alright Yuri?" Said man merely gave an almost unnoticeable nod; as a bright trail of crimson flowed from his newly split lip.

"All he talks of is how terrible the Knights are, as if we've done nothing! He shouldn't talk about things he doesn't understand. Don't you think I wanted to be with you Yuri? But you left me first; you gave up on 'us' first. What would have done with that kind of rejection? And now I find out that your going behind my back again! First you murder Ragou when he should've been put on trial! Then you go and kill Cumore, an Imperial officer! And now you're conversing with Dascuss, the most wanted man in Terca Lumeris, **and you failed to tell me any of this**! What the hell is wrong with you?" He dug into his pocket and pulled out the parchment Duke had given him. Large obsidian eyes widened in shock at the offensive piece of parchment, and watched as his friend threw it to the ground in front of him.

"Where…?" The voice was raspy and full of disbelief.

"Forgive me Yuri, but I was the one to take it. I recognized the handwriting instantly, but didn't want to believe it. Yuri, this is a dire situation, you need to tall us what's going on so we can help you." Yuri started to struggle again in Duke's grasp.

"No, everything's under control, this has nothing to do with you two! Leave it, please…just leave it." Flynn's blue eyes twitched momentarily from the defeated tone in his friend's voice, and he took a step forward. There was no way he was going to stop now.

"How long have you two been in correspondence?" Silence. Black, choppy bangs once again covered his friend's eyes, and Flynn took a deep breath to calm himself. Duke beat him to the chase.

"How long Yuri?" The deep voice had a sort of calming effect on Yuri, who went completely lax in Dukes grip. Duke lowered them to the wooden floor, cautious to keep the grip around Yuri's arms and waist. He maneuvered them so Yuri sat between his legs, head resting comfortably under his chin.

Flynn couldn't stop the horrible feeling of jealousy that punched him in the gut. He watched as crimson stained lips opened ever so slightly and whispered something that was barely audible to both of them.

"…Five years."

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